Per Ardua Ad Infernum
by MaliceUnchained
Summary: Captain Rixadi Seshara returns after a period of recuperation, followed by training and learning. She has grown, learned from the mistakes of her past, and now with a new ship to command she intends to put that training to use and bring honour to the Starfleet uniform. However, a dark, malevolent force is on the move, and it has Earth in its sights...
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Lucky you! Two for the price of one! Another story, following on from Predator's Gambit, because quite frankly I just wanted to write loads more stuff. So sue me.**

 **I don't own STO, etc. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

It seemed like so long ago.

Two years had passed since the woman last looked out of the viewport at Earth Spacedock, mourning losses she blamed herself for and swearing revenge on the man who had killed them, but for Captain Rixadi Seshara, it felt like so much longer.

In the time between denying her crew the 'justice' they sought and her latest assignment, Rixadi had taken some compassionate leave on Risa, returned to command an _Akira-_ class escort, fought the Klingons, the Romulans, and briefly the Dominion, been promoted, been seconded to Starfleet Intelligence for a short while, promoted _again,_ and then eventually reassigned to her new command, the USS _Lightbringer._

She didn't even know what class it was, but she knew it was modern, powerful, and crewed by some of Starfleet's best.

That last part still hurt.

She had acted in the interests of her crew when she arrested Samman instead of killing him, hoping to spare them from any fallout from her own career's demise. When that demise never came, her crew turned against her, believing themselves cheated out of their rightful vengeance.

On the other hand, however, the last two years had brought her and Caoimhe O'Dairn closer together.

The spelling of her lover's name still gave her some difficulty, since it looked nothing _like_ 'Keeva', but the two of them had fallen in love a few months after their first date, and even interstellar distances couldn't keep them apart.

A sweet, spicy scent intruded on her thoughts, and a moment later a familiar diminutive figure joined Rixadi at the viewport.

"Where are you this time, Admiral?" she asked with a sly grin, not looking at her companion.

"For once, I actually am here," Admiral Kassai Lydana replied, sipping her Vulcan spiced tea as she gazed out into the void. "I've done my share of pensive star-viewing, Captain. Believe me, whatever is on your mind, it's better to talk about it."

Rixadi nodded.

"No arguments here, ma'am. Just...reflecting on the past, is all."

"Now that, I actively try to avoid," Lydana said with a dry chuckle. "Anything in particular?"

Rixadi shook her head, and looked at the young admiral at last.

"Bearing in mind the lessons I learned the hard way. Reminding myself my call was the right one...even if my crew didn't see it that way."

She hung her head sadly, closing her eyes as she remembered the anger burning in the eyes of her remaining crew.

"It was, although I'm saddened that your old crew still don't see that."

Rixadi inhaled, a deep, cleansing breath, and straightened up again.

"No matter, ma'am," she said, forcing some cheer back into her voice. "They'll come around, one day. For now I have to be content knowing that I upheld my oath to Starfleet. So…" she looked around, searching for a new topic. "Um...any idea what my new ship is?"

Lydana shrugged.

"Afraid not, Captain. Oh, I've helped pick some crew, sent them to your CO, make sure your new command had a first-class crew behind it, but the ship itself? No idea. Quinn hates it when I know more than he does," she added with a soft laugh.

Rixadi laughed with her, returning her gaze to the view beyond the dock, watching every ship with interest.

"Where are you heading after this, ma'am?" she asked conversationally, and the young Bajoran sipped her tea before replying.

"I can't tell you where I'm ultimately heading," she answered, "but on my way I think I'll drop by Captain O'Neil and give her crew an impromptu combat drill."

"You're a cruel woman, ma'am," Rixadi said, suppressing a grin.

"Indeed I am," Lydana agreed, but any further comment was cut off by an announcement over the PA.

" _Attention, starship_ USS Lightbringer _approaching dock, repeat,_ USS Lightbringer _approaching dock. Stand by, stand by."_

Rixadi became more animated, trying to catch a glimpse of her new command. Eventually she found a viewport where she could see it approach, and as the ship passed into the dock's lights her jaw fell open.

"Oh, _nice_ ," Lydana said from beside her. "That is one fine vessel."

Rixadi could only stare in mute awe, as the sleek, arrowhead-like ship was revealed in full.

It resembled the _Intrepid_ -class ships writ large, its tapered saucer sweeping all the way back to the middle of the hull, giving it a stunted appearance. A pair of raised 'fins' tapered down from the back of the saucer to the very end of the hull, providing a small amount of protection for the small craft hangar and aft weapons, and the whole vessel seemed to glow like a star for Rixadi.

Truly, it was aptly named.

"Congratulations, Captain," Lydana saaid with a quiet smile. "Treat her well, and she'll see you through anything. Until next time, Rixadi."

With that, Lydana vanished in a haze of blue light as she beamed out, leaving Rixadi to collect her footlocker and head for the boarding tube.

The Federation may have been in a time of war, but she was eager to be back in the captain's chair, especially in command of such a magnificent vessel.

There was no way she could anticipate what lay ahead of her.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: So, I know this has taken a while to be put up, and for that I apologise. Family life must take precedence, after all, but I am trying to get some writing out as and when I can. To that end, here! Have an update!**

* * *

Rixadi exited the boarding tube to the sound of the traditional 'bosun's whistle', and she was greeted by a blonde-haired woman of average height, wearing Commander's pips and an easy smile. Her blue eyes glittered with genuine warmth, and Rixadi instantly felt the two would get along well.

She marched up to the young officer and saluted, and she responded in kind with casual grace.

"Permission to come aboard?" she asked, since the ship remained under the Commander's authority until Rixadi officially took command.

"Permission granted, ma'am, and welcome," the blonde replied, moving forwards and extending her hand. "I am authorised to relinquish command of the _Lightbringer_ to you at this time."

"Thank you Commander, I accept command," Rixadi answered formally, taking the offered hand and shaking it firmly. The blonde's grip was as firm as it was enthusiastic, a sign that the woman held a measure of strength and confidence. "I don't know if you were told, but I figured I'd introduce myself. I'm Rixadi Seshara," the Tkaathan told her new second-in-command, as the commander gestured for Rixadi to follow her.

"I was, but it's always nice to make the introductions in person," the Commander said with another smile, folding her arms behind her back as she led Rixadi through the ship. "My name's Amelia Cobham. Just Amelia," she emphasised, "only my brother calls me 'Amy' or any other contraction of my name, and even _he_ gets a punch for it."

Amelia chuckled, and Rixadi found herself laughing in unison.

"Well then, Amelia, I'll be sure not to do that," she said, grinning. "Now, how about you show me around this fine vessel?"

* * *

"...And in addition to the hangar bays, we have the Radiation Bombardment matrix," Amelia explained, leading Rixadi towards a turbolift. "It's an...unclean weapon, but-"

"-we're at war," Rixadi finished somberly. "A sad, but inescapable fact. Tell me about the hangars, though. What do they carry?"

"At the moment, standard _Danube_ -class runabouts, but the hangar bays are completely modular," Amelia told her. "A bit of time in dock and we can deploy Type 8 shuttles, Delta Flyers, even Peregrine fighters."

Rixadi made a small noise of surprise, and memorised the information. Such tactical flexibility would be immensely useful for the incredible vessel.

"Certainly explains the small craft operations module in my training," Rixadi said, nodding to herself.

"Aye ma'am," Amelia agreed, gesturing for her captain to step into the lift first. "I was Wing Commander on the _Titan_ , before her demise. When she was lost - and after we survivors recovered - we were reassigned. Eventually, Admiral Kassai tapped me for this slot."

"How do you know her?"

"Oh, I don't," Amelia laughed. "We've met once or twice though, mainly because my brother is her helmsman. And he doesn't shut up about her!" She laughed again, shaking her head. "Still, I'm glad she's got him. No-one in Starfleet flies like my kid brother."

Rixadi nodded, quietly assessing her new first officer. So far, she saw no reason for the two of them to disagree, and she liked Amelia's warm, friendly personality. However, Rixadi could tell that Amelia was serious about her work, and clearly very competent too.

She was certain that Admiral Kassai had, indeed, sent her the best.

"Everything alright, ma'am?" Amelia asked, and Rixadi shook herself.

"Absolutely, Amelia, sorry. I was lost in thought."

Amelia smiled, and the turbolift began to slow.

"Well, big girls like this don't sit idle," she said, her smile broadening to a cheeky grin as the doors hissed open. "There'll be plenty to occupy your thoughts soon enough."


End file.
